


you're gonna go far, kid

by thir13enth



Category: Fire Emblem: Fuukasetsugetsu | Fire Emblem: Three Houses
Genre: Gen, classic holst spoiling hilda rotten
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-05-16
Updated: 2020-05-16
Packaged: 2021-03-03 01:40:24
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,177
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/24206839
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/thir13enth/pseuds/thir13enth
Summary: sometimes older sibling wisdom is younger sibling cleverness
Relationships: Hilda Valentine Goneril & Holst Goneril
Comments: 4
Kudos: 25





	you're gonna go far, kid

**Author's Note:**

> written for [kith & kin zine](https://twitter.com/HyphenZines/status/1261274352592486405?s=20), available for free! happy international family day.

For better or for worse, Hilda had their father’s hair but their mother’s height.

Hilda’s small stature never meant very much anyway. Even if she stands barely over five feet, she has enough personality to make up for her it.

Of course, none of this matters when she’s trying to reach the box at the top shelf of the closet.

Holst first hears her when his thoughts are interrupted by a clack of heels to the floor just outside his room, then just a few seconds after, another thump — something that sounded like someone jumping to reach a box on a shelf much too high.

It could only be Hilda. Their mother wouldn’t even attempt to try without calling out loud for him. Holst smiles, rising from his desk to see Hilda mid-jump in front of the closet, arm outstretched rather desperately. She notices him as she lands back on her feet again, greeting him with a small wave.

“Oh hey, Holst,” she says.

He gestures upwards with his chin, looking up at the top shelf of the open closet. “What are you trying to reach?”

“Just some of the wires and tools up there,” she replies, frowning. “The last time I saw them, they were in that box.”

“Making your own jewelry again?” Holst says, looking up at the small box on the top shelf.

“You know it!”

Holst isn’t that much taller than Hilda — their family certainly isn’t known for their size, but nevertheless the extra inches he has on her allows him to reach the box. With just an extension of his arm (and perhaps a small lift of his heels), Holst easily pops it off the shelf and brings it down to Hilda’s level. “Here.”

“ _Thank you_ , big brother,” she says. “You are, as always, the _best_.”

Hilda always overdid it with the compliments. By now, Holst is hard to them, but if he’s honest with himself, he doesn’t mind hearing the praise nonetheless. “I’m just doing as I should as your older brother.”

“Yes, the _best_ older brother,” she replies, eyes bright.

He rolls his eyes, crossing his arms and leaning back into the wall. “So what designs are you thinking about this time?”

Hilda’s eyes sparkle even more. She starts to tell him about her necklace idea and what pendant she wants to put on it — words that Holst is familiar with but never had the attention span to pay mind to. And of course, not while he’s distracted just watching Hilda passionately describe her plans. He can’t help but beam with pride, his chest welling over with what feels like warm sunshine and adoration.

Every now and then, Holst worries for his little sister. Holst is a firstborn child through and through, with the natural ambition and self-determined discipline to prove it. In his time, he’s been heralded as a great figure for Fódlan, his fame accentuated by his blood, status, and heritage. He’s always been concerned about outshining Hilda — in the same room, all the attention inevitably drifts toward him, and as for much boasting he does about Hilda, he never seems to be able to keep himself out of discussion.

And so because of that, while all he often wants to do is spend time with Hilda, he knows it might be better to watch over her from a distance, so that she can be seen as her own person outside of his shadow.

“So, what do you think?” Hilda asks, bringing Holst’s thoughts back to the conversation.

“That sounds like perfect.”

Hilda excitedly nods in agreement. “Anyway, thanks _so much_ for helping me with the box, Holst. I’ll be sure to make _you_ a necklace.”

“I’d love to wear it,” he says, before he teases, “I’ve never seen you so enthusiastic to do a little extra work.”

“Oh, but for the _best brother_ in the whole wide world, of course I would!” She flashes him a wide grin, pivoting on her heel. “Well then, I’ll better get going, huh?”

Holst smiles. “Yes.” He watches her step back down the stairs.

One day, she’d surpass them all. Already, his dear younger sister has blossomed and will continue to bloom as their family’s precious princess.

And no matter what, he’d be there to support her the entire way.

“You know—” Holst suddenly blurts, half-stopping himself but Hilda has already turned around to face him, stepping back up one on the steps, an inquisitive eyebrow arched.

He clears his throat. “Just…” He restarts his sentence. “There are some things you just won’t be able to do on your own, you know,” he finally says, in the most older brother fashion he can muster.

“I _know_ ,” she says, clutching the box in her arms. “I would have _never_ gotten this box without you.”

“Well, yeah,” he replies. “Or if you just got a stepladder.” He rephrases. “But you won’t always have a stepladder, so you’ll have to rely on other people.”

“Mhm,” she nods.

“You get what I mean,” he quickly summarizes. “Just don’t be afraid to ask for help.”

He hopes that what he said makes as much older-sibling-wisdom sense out loud as it did in his head.

Hilda gives him somewhat of a shrug. “Okay,” she says, continuing to make her way down the stairs.

Holst steps forward a couple to catch up to her, stopping at the first step. “Wait, you gotta take me seriously. Like take what just happened for example. What if I never came out of my room to help you? You would never have been able to reach your box!”

“I _am_ taking you seriously!” Hilda promises him. “And I won’t be afraid to ask for help the next time I need it. But honestly, _somehow_ I still get the help I want _without_ even asking — you just never gave me the chance to ask!”

“Alright, then ask next time!”

“Fine!”

…

And so, she does.

She asks him to help her with the laundry, with the cleaning duties, with her studies, with her training, with attending family functions — with quite literally everything. And Holst is as much of a big brother as he is a prideful person, so he refuses to complain about the sudden doubling of the tasks on his to-do list.

All for the sake of teaching Hilda to “ask for help.”

Today, she asks him to help her carry some bags of mulch to the garden.

And whether it’s because he hasn’t had his afternoon coffee yet or because he had already spent the majority of the day doing Hilda’s chores — he breaks then.

“Alright, Hilda, you’re going to have to do this on your own,” he sighs, hands on his hips. “I can’t keep doing everything for you.”

Hilda frowns. “You’re not going to help me?” she says, disappointed. She turns her head down. “I thought you taught me to never be afraid to ask for help. I guess I can’t always rely on that, huh?”

It’s about now that Holst realizes maybe he’s taught her far too much.

“Fine.”

**Author's Note:**

> find me on [twitter](https://www.twitter.com/napsbeforesleep)!


End file.
